Oh, I agree 100%. Use that discourse as a learning opportunity. Major fail on that point.

But, even though I'm not the president's biggest fan, I don't think that it's unreasonable to ask that a student be respectful of the office. There are constructive ways to vent those kinds of feelings; it ties in well with with Garcia Bronco said above.

Students can't expect to say whatever they want and get away with it because of free speech. On the other hand, the teacher in this case just failed. Period.

What did the kid say that you think was objectionably disrespectful.

__________________

“The American people are tired of liars and people who pretend to be something they’re not.” - Hillary Clinton

He looked like a slob, dude. Besides, the audio of her being a moron is available for anyone to hear. It's not like you need to dress him up as a sympathetic character to alert everyone to the fact that she's an idiot.

Wow. I feel so freaking fortunate to work in the district in which I work. I can't imagine a single teacher I know launching into some ridiculous diatribe of this nature or being this ignorant about our rights.

This is your political base

__________________"All real Americans love the sting of battle and may God have mercy on my enemies because I wont".

'Progressivism' is nothing more than a dressed up co-opted term for 'Marxism'.

At my school, we consider it our "duty" to get kids to think critically about issues. This, sometimes, involves taking a side in opposition to a student's (which may or may not represent my own ideology). But like others said: this lady is just an idiot. I care less about her politics than her complete ignorance and lack of ability to put together a logical argument.

I had a professor like that in college; he was undoubtedly a liberal, but he defended his postions which were very radical even by today's standards...his whole point was to get us to realize issues weren't black and white but somewhere in the middle and not to dismiss other viewpoints without considering their merit. One of the best teachers I ever had and one of the reasons my second son is named "Lucas".

That being said, I'd be very surprised to see a teacher taking a side in opposition to their own in order to get students to do some critical thinking...kudos to you if you are in the ranks of those who do.

I had a professor like that in college; he was undoubtedly a liberal, but he defended his postions which were very radical even by today's standards...his whole point was to get us to realize issues weren't black and white but somewhere in the middle and not to dismiss other viewpoints without considering their merit. One of the best teachers I ever had and one of the reasons my second son is named "Lucas".

That being said, I'd be very surprised to see a teacher taking a side in opposition to their own in order to get students to do some critical thinking...kudos to you if you are in the ranks of those who do.

I do it pretty often. I might not take the side as my own, but I'll likely say something like, "Well, you do realize that someone else might say...."

I did it a lot more when I taught debate, though, as it was explicitly a part of my job.

All that being said, my nature is to see both sides of issues (I'm a Libra, and though I don't believe in astrology, the stereotype fits for me) and understand that rational people can believe any number of different ways. It's what makes me ineffective as a debater on here, because I usually start to see that the other side has a point. The other problem is that I, honestly, can't understand people like HCF and SS (and liberals here as well) who seem to, seriously, believe the vitriolic bullshit with which they paint the other side. It makes me feel that they're deceitful and disingenuous, because I would be if I expressed such absolutist views.

__________________In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.
- H. L. Mencken

Wow. I feel so freaking fortunate to work in the district in which I work. I can't imagine a single teacher I know launching into some ridiculous diatribe of this nature or being this ignorant about our rights.